Bone stock Shimano TLD-30 2sp for Bluefin?

[Whit]

Friends:

I'm a Penn guy, so please bear with me.

Heard for years about the problems with these reels, cracked frames, etc., but have never used or owned these reels until very recently.  So am posing my question here.

I now have a couple of these I could use for loaners for a couple of my family members on an upcoming 3-day June trip on the RR3. All are first-timers.

Question:  for a bone stock reel (no tuning, drag greasing, etc.) what is the comfortable line class window for these: 60 lb?  80?   

I'm sort of thinking of these as potential daytime jig/nighttime sinker outfits in the 60 lb line class, mebbe 80.

I have other outfits for 100/130 lb nighttime jig duty, so just focusing on the Shimano's for this intermediate duty right now.

Any comments appreciated.

[alantani]

go with straight 60 pound mono for jigs.  set the drag to 15 pounds at strike and then check it at full.  you should be able to get 25 pounds.  if you need 25 to lift that fish, you will have to go for it.   

[MarkT]

Mostly the problems were with the 50 fishing heavy drag. I use the 20 and 30 for local trolling and have caught BFT on both to about 60#. I've upgraded both with topless aluminum frame... Tiburon on the 20 and Willfish on the 30. I have a 50# top shot on the 20 and 60# on the 30.

[sciaenops]

I don't disagree with 60 mono but you could also consider 50# for a bit more line capacity.  I caught my 1st triple digit bft on mine w/50#. I was probably babying it but was glad for the extra few yds. It has since been relegated to trolling w/80#.

[alantani]

50 is certainly reasonable.  with a reel this large, it really would not make that much difference.